Of Princes and Power
The Shattered Empire Series presents... OF PRINCES AND POWER The year is 4E 28 and the mighty Cyrodiilic Empire has taken its last breath. Having no legitimate heir to the throne, the Elder Council had taken the responsibility of governing the Empire and all of its provinces upon the apotheosis of Martin Septim. However, before the year had passed, several contradicting claims to the Imperial throne were made. Distant cousins, supposed bastards, and diluted branches of the Septim line attempted to claim the mantle of Emperor. Several of Cyrodiil's most prominent noble families also strung their banners with the red diamond. An unavoidable struggle for power ensued. The capital province split into a collection of warring city-states and factions, all vying for the empty throne. In the end, the once great Cyrodiilic Empire forged by Tiber Septim brought about its own death. The Imperial City and White Gold Tower was sacked in 4E 8. During Cyrodiil's self-inflicted downfall, many of the provinces saw a chance to relieve themselves of their Imperial overlords, who were now weakened considerably. Exhausted by three decades of war, Cyrodiil has turned to faith, and the fragile peace in that region owes itself to the new knightly orders and reformed Temple of the Divines that has in most places replaced the old Imperial order. Outside of Cyrodiil, nothing remains of Talos' Empire. Morrowind was the first to secede, as was expected by many, the God-Queen Almalexia leading them in bloody revolt alongside the multitude of religious cleansing following the unexpected, early disappearance of the Nerevarine. In the new, independent and theocratic Kingdom of Morrowind, the Great Houses have been given a far freer rein in all matters but religious unorthodoxy, which in the purges has been all but wiped out. With their Imperial supporters and main source of income gone, House Hlaalu lost the majority of its power and support, though in recent years the old traditional branch of the Great House, formally associated with the Camorra Tong, has fought hard to regain honour for House Hlaalu by conquering and raiding into large swathes of Cheydinhal county in Cyrodiil. The second nation to secede was the Altmeri nation of the Summerset Isles; however, not long after their secession, a war began within their own borders. Two radical groups, the Thalmor and the Beautiful, fought a long and brutal war for power over the Isles. The Thalmor emerged victorious after over a decade of conflict that spanned multiple dimensions and various realms of Oblivion and Aetherius, as Altmeri Mirror Logicians on both sides toyed and interfered the very laws of reality in order to wage war. Soon after the victory of the Thalmor, Valenwood seceded from the Shattered Empire as well. Rumors have spread of an imminent invasion by the Thalmor, who have dominated politics in the south. Rumors have also spread that Elsweyr is next to join the ranks of the Dominion; though, nothing can be said for certain. Black Marsh, Hammerfell, and Skyrim soon followed. Hammerfell maintained some semblance of order and split into a system of confederated city-states. In Skyrim, chaos caused by the Witchmen of the Reach successfully gaining independence and the death of a High King led to a failed moot to support a successor, and the region splint between Solitude in the north and what is left of Skyrim in the east, centered around Windhelm as Whiterun became independant. After its succession, Black Marsh was consumed in a flurry of tribal wars. However, a few of the larger northern tribes have allied and taken up arms against the Dres of Morrowind. High Rock was the last to secede from the Empire and did so without incident or conflict. The Empire's hands were full with the internal struggle for power; they offered no resistance as the independent states of High Rock seceded one by one. The independent states that once formed High Rock warred between themselves for a long time. As time passed and wars raged, many of the lesser kingdoms began swear fealty to the larger and more prominent political powers of High Rock. Eventually nine realms reigned over the entirety of the province, including the now independent City State of Nova Orsinium. Of the eight Bretic realms four allegiances were born: Daggerfall and Camlorn united by marriage in the West, with Camlorn becoming a part of the Kingdom of Daggerfall, Northpoint conquering Shornhelm in the North, and finally Wayrest and Evermore forming an uneasy alliance in the East. Jehanna and Farrun have been lost to Nordic hosts under the banner of the royal family of Solitude, and the Reach has gained a fragile independence. The political situation in High Rock in tense to say the least. Wayrest and Daggerfall are at each other's throats once again. The ongoing cold war between the two superpowers has done nothing but raise the tension to a climax; something will happen, sooner rather than later, that is certain. Northpoint is recovering from a long and bloody war with the now vassalized Shornhelm, trying to hold itself together as the West and East press against its sides. High Rock has become a battlefield of Princes and Powers... ---- So where do I fit in? The setting is High Rock in the 28th year of the 4th era, and it is a tumultuous time. Opposing kingdoms are at each other's throats and the realms sit on the brink of war, as rebellious Counts stirr up treasonous sentiment, and wealthy merchants weigh up the profit to be made of this time of unrest. You may play as a noble lord, a lowly servant, a wise mage, a gallant knight or anything inbetween. All will be swept up in the events that follow, and what your character makes of it is up to you to decide. Of Princes and Power forms the first part of the Shattered Empire Series, a re-imagining of Tamriel in the 4th Era with no Empire, leaving off from where TES IV: Oblivion left off. You may choose who you wish to play as, so long as it is within reason. All positions marked as open in the Realms page are free for you to choose, though you are also encouraged to fill in any roles outside of the ruling nobility, ranging from mages, servants, ambassadors and paupers and everything in between. Multiple characters are allowed and encouraged! You may introduce new characters whenever you like and have as many as you want. Category:General